All That Matters
by mediaocrity4
Summary: The full story based on a one-shot I did a while back. Blake has been an absentee parent. Her daughter Nova is starved for attention. But one day she finds herself wrapped up in an adventure where she sees first hand the power of Team RWBY, and the dangers they face.
1. My Hero

All That Matters

 **AN: Welcome to the last mini-story I'll be doing until the main line RWBYond series is finished. This was actually a one-shot I released a while back that not many people ended up reading and it's way too important to leave out of this story. Call me a hack all you want, but I have my reasons for doing it like this.**

Chapter 0: My Hero

People around my age tend to have it good. On paper, so do I. I have a loving and supportive father. I have some good friends. My mom….at least makes a lot of money. One of the strongest fighters in the world takes time out of her life to help train me.

And all the kids in Vacuo have the same goal, or at least the same role model. It's funny. We all talk about Vacuo Pride and the importance of strength out here in the desert; but the truth is, all the kids want to be Ruby Rose, or Ruby Rose-Arc depending on who you're asking.

But these kids don't stand a chance. For them, Mrs. Ruby is no different than a character made up for comics or cartoons. For me, she's practically family. That huntress I mentioned earlier, the one that trains me, that's Yang Xiao Long, Mrs. Ruby's sister. They were both on a team with my mom throughout the war. Those friends I mentioned, well one of them is Citrine Rose, Mrs. Ruby's oldest daughter.

I'm closer to Mrs. Ruby than any of the other kids in Vacuo. They're all jealous of me. That's why a few of them always try to piss me off by bringing up the things I don't like about myself. Namely, my mother.

"Look at the stray cat." Apollo says as he pulls on my tail.

"I went to the big soccer game yesterday." Another kid laughs. "She scored the first goal, looked to the stands and started crying. She cost our school the game because of it." I freeze up at the memory. I squeeze my eyes shut.

"Crybaby, crybaby!" They tease. It was supposed to be my first big game. And I was the first to score. And she couldn't be bothered showing up.

"Look, she's crying again." Apollo says. "What's the matter Stray Cat? Your mommy not come home again."

"She's busy." My voice is small, and the words are from my dad. That's always the excuse. "She's doing a very important mission." I try to wipe the tears from my eyes. "She doesn't have time for kid stuff."

"Maybe she just doesn't care about you." Apollo said as he pulled on my tail. I snapped. The next thing I know, he's on the ground with a broken nose. Blood, his blood, is on my fist. And his two friends tackle me. I kick one of them in the face and throw the other one off.

I roll to my feet and slug one of them in the face. The other tries to grab me from behind. I slam the back of my head into his face, breaking the hold.

I pick my backpack up and use it as a weapon to pummel Apollo. As soon as he hits the ground, I throw it at one of the other kids. I kick the third one in the face. All three of them are down. I fall over from the poorly implemented kick and fall on top of Apollo. He punches me in the face, stunning me.

He kicks me off and stands up. He then starts kicking me in the stomach. My aura begins to crack from the beating. His two friends join in. They hold me down and kick me until my aura breaks.

"That's what you get, freak." Apollo says.

I'm not done yet. As soon as they start backing off, I push forward, headbutting Apollo's crotch. One of his friends grabs me and the other tries punching my stomach. I jump up, kicking one in the face and throwing the other one into him. Apollo runs up and punches me. I spit blood as one of my teeth comes loose. He then tackles me and tries choking me. I push his hands up and bite down on his hand.

He screams in pain as I bite a small chunk of flesh from his appendage. I tooth breaks free into his hand and I tackle him to the ground. One of his friends got back up and is rushing towards me. He hit me in the back of my head and I elbow him in the balls, knocking him down.

But that sent me over the edge. I start slamming both my fist's into Apollo's face. I don't stop until long after his face is bloody and swollen. It took an adult intervention to finally stop me. I feel her cold grasp on my wrist.

"That's enough!" Yang shouts as she pulls me off him.

"Let me go!" I scream as I fight against her.

"She started it." One of the bullies pointed out.

"Three boys against a girl, seems really fair." Yang says. "Now get lost and get that boy to his parents. I have half a mind to scold all of you." The entire time I didn't stop fighting.

"Come back here you cowards!" I scream as they run away.

"It's over, you won." Yang says as she tightens her grip. "You need to calm down."

"They started it! They pulled my tail and called me crybaby." Blood and tears trickle down my face. She picks me up and sits me on a dumpster in the nearest alleyway.

"Let me look." Yang says.

"Don't touch me!" I try fighting her hands away.

"You're bleeding."

"I'll be fine."

"NOVA WUKONG you will cut this out this instant!" Yang shouts. My face tightens up in a hateful scowl. "If you were my daughter…."

"Well I'm NOT!" I shout back. "Even if you want me to be." I sniff and wipe my nose.

"What has gotten into you?" Yang sighs.

"How did you know where I was at?" I ignore her question.

"I'm an Arbiter sweetie. I always know." She smiles. But that smile only worsens my mood.

"An Arbiter huh….so does my mom always know where I'm at?" I look down.

"She does." Yang says with confidence. "She thinks she's the only one who can do what she's doing and that if she stops, the world will end. But she thinks about you every day, every hour. It's one of the reasons I'm always coming around." She kisses the top of my head.

"She should be the one here. You shouldn't have to check up on me and dad for her." I say as she puts an ice crystal on my face.

"But that's just the way it is." Yang says. "I love you mother to death, and you and your father. I've taken it upon myself to watch over you." The answer didn't satisfy me. In all twelve years of my life, I had yet to get a satisfying answer as to why my mom was always working but Yang wasn't. Why couldn't Yang do the missions and my mom come home more often? "Let's get you back home."

We walk to my house in complete silence. The apartment is modest, with only two bedrooms. My parents bought it shortly after the war. The kitchen, living room, and dining room were all actually one big room. The only thing that served as a border between the three areas is the size of the carpet.

"So, how was school?" Dad says as he looks back at me. "Nova Wukong!" His concern makes me flinch. "What the hell happened?"

"I had to break up a fight between her and three boys." Yang says.

"They deserved it." I say.

"This is the third time this month Nova." Dad scolds. "Go to your room and do your homework."

"But…." I protest.

"We'll talk about this later!" He shouted.

I grab my backpack and go to my room. I grab my pillow and scream all my frustration out. Why does Yang train me? What's the point in knowing how to fight if I'm going to get scolded for defending myself? Was I supposed to just let that jerk pull on my tail? Doesn't he know what that feels like?

When I'm out of breath, I stare at one of the few pictures on my wall. It's of Mrs. Ruby and her old team. It's a poster that was commemorating ten years of peace. It's been eighteen years since the Grimm War ended. Team RWBY were on the frontlines of the conflict. Mrs. Ruby had bested Cinder Fall, lead the fight against the Grimm King and was the last person standing against Salem in that final day of the war.

"I'll lecture her about picking her fights later." I could hear Yang and my Dad talking.

"You've done enough." Dad said.

"I've taken care of her, just like I do my nieces." Yang said. "But it's clear she is just as impatient and brash as I was at that age. I lashed out like that everytime someone so much as touched my hair or looked at Ruby wrong."

"But she's not you, or your daughter." Dad said. "I'll take care of her."

"Summer wasn't my birth mom either. But that little girl has power and a temper and needs someone who can really help her control it. You and Blake are too close to her."

"Ha." I gasp as if it was a joke.

"I love Nova. And I want to be there the same way that Summer and Qrow were there for me. Especially Qrow. I don't want to replace Blake."

"Could have fooled me." Dad says.

"Sun, that is not cool. You know how Blake and I both feel."

"Well, what about how I feel, knowing my wife is out there looking for any excuse to get herself killed."

"You know that's not the case!" Yang shouts. "You know what's at stake. The three of us agreed twelve years ago. Blake's the only one who can get close to them. I'm the only one that can divide my time between you and her. You're the one who has to raise Nova."

"Exactly." He says. "I'm the one who raises Nova. If it were up to me she'd stay home and be safe like a sensible young lady."

My vision becomes violet with anger at that. I punch the poster on my wall. They must have heard me because they stopped their conversation. I hear a knock on my door but I ignore it. Instead I open up my window and jump down to the street below.

I run. I run to the center of town. I see Shade Academy, my destination, just out of reach. That's what I wanted to be. Despite all my dad's protests, I wanted to be a huntress more than anything. I didn't want to be just another hero either. I wanted to be the best. I wanted to be just like Mrs. Ruby. Maybe then, when I'm that strong, I can make sure my mom, and others like her, don't have to go out on missions all the time.

I didn't blame Mrs. Ruby at all. She had four kids of her own and STILL manages to be there for all of them while taking the most dangerous and cataclysmic missions available. One time an iceberg shattered and caused a tsunami. Mrs. Ruby was there in plenty of time to save every single person, stop the tidal wave, prevent most of the property damage and still had time to flash her signature smile. My mom could never hope to hold a candle to her.

Shade Academy is among the largest buildings in Vacuo. Which was doubly impressive since Vacuo covers the largest amount of area of any city in Remnant. Built on top of an oasis and an underground river that fuels the city. Not a single area of the city was wasteful.

The thing that sucks the most about Vacuo is the lack of trees. I nearly cried the first time I was taken to Patch. Even though that island is over eighty percent farmland with only ten percent being a forested area, it still seemed wild and untamed compared to Vacuo. It was beautiful.

Still, I liked climbing and the lack of trees made that really hard. So instead, I climbed rock faces and buildings. It helps me relax. So, I climb Shade Academy. I have to take multiple breaks to catch my breath and relax my muscles. When I make it to the top, I'm completely soaked in sweat.

I look around from the spire while I relax. The sun is beginning to set. The wind starts piercing through my sweaty body. I carefully hang one foot off the edge of the domed top. I want to jump. I don't want to die or get hurt, I just crave the feeling of wind across my entire body. I want to fly, like Mrs. Ruby flies. But I know I can't, not yet.

I take a heavy sigh as I sit down, alone. I curl up into a ball and let myself cry. I wanted my mom. I wanted her to wrap her arms around me and stroke my hair while she sings to me the way I did when I was younger. I wanted her back almost as much as I wanted to be a hero.

It's only gotten worse. This feeling. These emotions are growing harder and harder to control. I don't want to do the things I do but I do them anyway. I want her back. That's how it started. The first time I got in a fight, she rushed back home to scold me. The second time I got in a fight, I got beat up really bad and broke my arm. When I woke up, she was at my side in the hospital room.

Then in my third fight, she came back a week later. After that, she stopped coming because of my fights. So I tried getting myself hurt. Maybe that was the trick. It worked too, for a short time. Nothing I did worked now. The only thought was to run away. I had thought about it a few times. I could pack my things and journey to the east, towards Vale and Patch. I know Mrs. Ruby would let me stay with her for a short time before sending me back home. Maybe she could even get my mother to come home, by force if need be, if I begged her to. But that seemed dumb. I'd just as well cut out the middleman, call her or Citrine up and ask to stay there for a while.

"Young Lady." A gravelly voice rides in on the winds and the sands. I looked back and saw the Headmaster of Shade Academy, Suna Gull. "What brings you here?"

"None of your business." I mutter. Headmaster Gull nods in agreement.

"I won't push an answer out of you." He said. "But I must advise you refrain from scaling such tall buildings." With a twirl of his fingers, he surrounds me in sand.

"Let me go!" I try fighting it.

"Out of the question." His sands lift me up and carries us both down to the ground like a dusty elevator. I try to fight it all the way down, even though it actually feels kinda cool. He looks me over as he dispels his sand. "Nova."

"You know who I am?" I ask as my eyes widen. I know him because he's famous. But why would he know who I am? It would be different if my parents were more involved in the community, or if they had been part of the same unit during the war. But neither of my parents, or any of the other adults in my life have ever really talked about him.

"Of course I do." Suna says. "I was there when your mother gave birth to you."

"I...didn't know…" My voice trails off.

"Official Headmaster business, and the fact I know every huntsman in the world to some extent aside, you're the student of Yang Xiao Long, an Arbiter and war hero. That, on top of your heritage and the important role both your parents played in the war makes you a top prospect going forward. All the headmasters have their eyes on you, and the other children of Team RWBY."

"I see." I blush.

"But those are just expectations. I can't speak for Headmaster Azul or Branwen, or even General Schnee, I can only speak for myself. And I WILL be holding you to a much higher standard than your average initiate."

I had been scolded before, more times than I can count. But something about his tone, and the intensity in his eyes, made me feel smaller than I had ever felt before. There was no passion or warmth, just cold, hard, naturalistic reason.

"I understand." I say.

"Good, because you actually came at an opportune time." His voice lightened up. "And I'd hate for her limited time to be spent lecturing you."

"What do you…"

"Nova!" The voice cuts through my heart. My mom runs up and pulls me into a hug. "I was worried sick about you."

"Mom?" My face twists in internal agony.

"I was planning on surprising you at your game." Blake said. "I'm so….so sorry I missed it."

"It's okay." I wrap my arms around her. "You're here now." I say as tears fall from my face.

"I had to go undercover to stop some bad guys. I thought I was finished for a while but then they captured me and I had to escape." She explained herself but I didn't care. She wasn't there before but she is now. "I came to you as soon as I could."

"You appeared." I say. "Together we're here. And that's all that matters….somehow." Tears well up in my eyes.

"I promise you, I will stay for a while this time." The tears make me almost believe it. "And I'll never leave you for that long again." I beg every divine entity I can think of to make it so. "Now, let's get you home."

"Wait." I say. "I just….I love you." I say with tears falling down my face.

"I love you too, my sweet starry child." Her words were filled with so much anguish and emotion, that I believed her.

 **AN: Alright, so starting tomorrow there will be actual new content for this particular story. I just wanted to keep the one-shot as a one-shot and this story as its own story but again, there's too much context here to miss out.**


	2. Mom

All That Matters

 **AN: Alright first real new chapter of this story that picks up right where the last left off. For the next two weeks I'm going to try my best to have a chapter out everyday. Luckily, with this being a mini-story, those chapters will not be very long (Chapter 0 will almost definitely be the longest).**

Chapter 1: Mom

My oldest memory comes from when I was four years old. I don't remember any of the build up. I just remember the light in my eyes silhouetting my mom. I could see her cat ears and long black hair. The rest of her form was obscured by her long white coat. I cried and reached out for her hand. She didn't even turn to face me as she continued walking away.

That was a long time ago. My mom just got back from a long mission yesterday. I was not in a good mood because the principal decided to punish me for fighting three of my classmates yesterday even though they're the ones who started it. But I didn't care about Principle Pennsworth or what he thought of me. I did care that as soon as I walked in the door with Mom last night, Dad forgot all about the punishment he was thinking up.

"Since when do you cook?" Dad asks my mom.

"I always knew the basics." Mom says. "I can take care of myself just fine." She sounds defensive. Dad said that I sound like her when I get defensive. I don't see it. "But yeah, I picked up this recipe from someone while on my mission."

"Well, tell them thanks on my behalf if you see them again." Dad says as he uses his tail to grab his cup. He looks like an idiot resting on his hands, looking at Mom with googly eyes.

"I want to hear about this important mission." I say as I cross my arms.

"I'm sorry." Mom's ears fold down as she looks as her coffee. "I can't share it with either of you."

"Why not!?" I shout.

"It involves really dangerous people." Blake says.

"But I thought you took care of them." Dad says.

"I…." Mom's voice trails off.

"Yang and Mrs. Ruby tell me about their adventures." I pout. Mom looks me over and grins.

"Well, that's because they fight monsters. Yeah, those monsters might be stronger than anyone I fight." She leaned in. "But monsters can't come in at night and, take you away!" She pounces on me and lifts me up. Her hands run along my body, tickling me.

"Mom, stop it!" I yell as I lose my breath from laughter. My eyes begin to bulge and my face grows tired. The two of us fall on the floor. My head rests on her arm as she stops. My laughter slowly dies as she kisses my cheek.

"I love you more than anything." She says. "I don't know what I'd do, if you got hurt because of my mistakes." A thought crosses my mind. Just a single thought. I've already been hurt because of how much she leaves. But looking into her pleading eyes, eyes that I inherited, and the cute cat ears I unfortunately don't have, I choose to let it be. She's here, and that's all that matters right now.

"I love you too." I say as I give her a kiss.

"My two girls." Dad says as he lays down on the other side of me.

The door clicks open and Yang steps in. She's carrying a grocery bag. She kicks her boots off as if she owns the place and sets the grocery bag on the counter.

"Honey, I'm home!" She shouts. I giggle in response. "Oh, y'all having a fun time on the floor without me?" She throws her duster on the couch. "Typical Friday night though amirite?" She gives my parents a wink.

"Yang!" Mom shouts as she covers my ears.

"Wait, what?" I'm really confused as to what Yang meant by that and even more confused as to why Mom would cover my ears for it.

"So, what did you get?" Dad asks as he picks himself off the floor.

"A few provisions." Yang says. "And some fun." She pulls out a bottle of wine. "Not everyday the three of us can be together."

"No offense, but I'd rather spend the night catching up with my daughter." Mom says.

"She's a big girl now. I was her age when I had my first drink." Yang says.

"Absolutely not!" Dad shouts.

"I'm joking. Don't get your tail in a bunch." Yang pulls out a bottle of whiskey. "Had to get some courage for myself. Anyway, I really meant that she can still hang out with us even though we're drinking."

Yang separates the stuff she got for the house from the stuff she obviously got for herself. Mom and Dad put all the groceries away in the pantry and fridge while Yang organizes her personal alcohol, dust supplies and special shampoo.

I move over to the couch while Yang puts on some music. She begins singing along while she pours some glasses. Mom moves and sits on the couch next to me and runs her fingers through my hair.

"Yang, the sun hasn't even gone down." Mom laughs.

"Hey, it's a Friday, neither of us have to work this weekend." Yang says. "And guess who I talked to today."

"Who?" Mom asks.

"Ruby. She's coming out here with Jaune and Citrine." Yang informs.

"Mrs. Ruby is coming here!" I get giddy with excitement at the thought. I didn't get to see Mrs. Ruby often, but it was always fun. Citrine was one of my best friends too. I wish they didn't live so far away. But the fact that they did, made their appearances all the more special.

"Yeah, she has some business to attend to out here. She's leaving the twins and Argent with Jaune's family. Ruby wanted to make it a special outing between her and Jaune but Citrine refused to stay behind."

"Well, I'm more than happy to babysit to give those two some alone time." Dad offers.

"Yeah, Citrine can stay in my room." I claim.

"Now if only we could get Weiss out of her damn office we could have a proper RWBY reunion." Yang says.

"She's a very busy lady." Mom shrugs. "We all are. How long has it been since we've all been in the same place at the same time?"

"Probably the ten year anniversary of the Battle of Crete." Yang sighs. "And that was around eight years ago."

"God I feel old." Dad says. "We were twenty-one when the war ended."

"Please, don't remind me how old we are." Yang put her hand on her head. "I'm still twenty-five as far as anyone is concerned."

"Tell me a story from back then." I demand. I moved to the edge of the couch in anticipation. "Tell me about the one where Mrs. Ruby stopped a tsunami."

"Oh, that happened way after the war." Yang shrugs it off. "Stopping tsunamis isn't all that impressive. Any prominent huntsman can do that if they have some ice and wind dust with them. Now, doing that and saving everyone, that's the real trick. My sister is the only one fast enough to do both."

Dad grabs a glass of water and a few grains of ice dust. He sets the glass on the coffee table and sits on the floor, ready to demonstrate.

"Sun Wukong, you better not be ruining one of my nice cups." Mom says. Dad rolls his eyes and grabs dust between his fingers.

"Water is weird." He starts. "When it freezes it actually expands." He dropped the dust into the glass. The water instantly froze, expanding and solidifying the liquid. "So using ice dust or magic might stop a tsunami from destroying a town but it'll also bring catastrophe closer."

"A novice will freeze it at the wrong time." Yang continues. "Ice can be pretty heavy and if a piece breaks off of something that big, it can crush a building. So what my sister did is she actually froze a ring around the bay. She then used her abilities to create a series of levies that fought back the tides. But water is really strong too."

"Ever try to pick up a bucket of water?" Dad asks. I shake my head. "Well, enough water will crush just about anything."

"Yeah, one time Weiss tried to get Ruby back for pranking her." Mom recalls. "Dropped a bucket of ice on her head and knocked her out."

"So, after setting up the blockade, my sister then reversed the winds to flatten the water." Yang finishes. "Pretty impressive to watch, but when you consider she's one of only four people in the world capable of magic you realize it's actually one of her lesser feats."

"Wow." I do not care whatsoever how much they try downplaying it. "Mrs. Ruby is so freaking cool!" I geek out. "I want to be just like her some day!"

"Traitor." Yang teases as she pokes my stomach. "You're going to be a brawler just like me."

"I don't know." Dad says. "We discovered her semblance a while ago and it's a lot like mine and Blake's."

"So she'll be a more evasive boxer." Yang says.

"I kinda like swords." I say. "I got to train with some earlier this week. Mr. Kaido wouldn't let me train with a scythe until I mastered the basics of a staff. But it just didn't feel right. And everyone says its important to find a weapon that feels right."

"I hope you give the staff another try." Dad says.

"I think a sword will be good for you." Mom says.

"Or both." Yang says. "Most huntsmen have transforming weapons."

"Well, I still have a while before I have to make my own weapon." I say.

"I can't wait to see what you come up with." Mom says as she runs her fingers through her hair. "I made Gambol Shroud because my...um….mentor used a similar setup. Blade, gun and use the sheath as a weapon. Though, his sheath was a gun, mine was bludgeoning weapon, and the gun is in the hilt of my sword."

"Ember Celica is just an upgrade of my dad's gauntlets." Yang says.

"The Wukongs have used staffs for several generations." Sun says. "Though, the gun-chucks were completely my idea."

"Yeah, I'll think about it and ask Mrs. Ruby for advice." I say.

A few hours later it was time for bed. I washed up and got into my pajamas before snuggling up in my bed. It was a good night. It was always fun with Yang around and finally having Mom back made it so much better.

"Nova." Mom walks in.

"I'm fine, I don't need to get tucked in." I say. She kneels at my bedside and gives me a kiss.

"I just want to say, I'm proud of you for standing up for yourself. But not every battle is worth fighting."

"Whatever." I do not want to be lectured right now.

"I'll try to teach you better from now on." She says. "I swear I will never leave for that long again." She snuggles up to me.

"Pinky promise." I say as I hold up my finger.

"Pinky promise." She repeats. We seal the deal as she gives me a kiss. "Goodnight my little star monkey."

"Good night." I blush. Thoughts of hope race through my head. The worst days are behind me. I know she'll leave again. She has to. She's the one who brings in all the money. But knowing that I can take it, knowing that I can handle her being gone for as long as she will, fills me with joy. We can finally be a happy family, just like I always dreamed and prayed for.

 **AN: MMMMMM, poor Nova. Anyway, next chapter will be Ruby's introduction to the series and the plot moving forward from there. I'm trying to keep this its own self-contained plot that doesn't affect the wider story. Rather its a look at what kind of person Nova was before her official introduction in RWBYond Generations. It's really difficult writing from this perspective, but I wouldn't even try if I didn't have a really firm grasp on these characters.**


	3. Scold

All That Matters

 **AN: This chapter came out later because a new episode dropped and I have to spend the entire day working on a review. I've also been sick the last few days. It's also really hard to write from this perspective. I'm just not anywhere near used to it. That's it for the excuses. Here's the chapter.**

Chapter 2: Scold

Mrs. Ruby will be here tonight or tomorrow depending on how fast the ship she's taking is. Dad told me to be on my best behavior while she's here. It's funny because he's always telling me to be on my best behavior as if it means anything.

I decided to spend the day with another friend. Rasa Mano was a year older than me. She was one of the best in her class at Oasis Academy and had already met with several Shade professors who had told her what it takes to get into the Huntsman Academy. It was more than just going to the next level. All schools taught some level of combat. That's just what it took to survive in Remnant. A huntsman had to be on a whole nother level.

"So, I heard you kicked that Apollo punk's ass." Rasa says.

"Him and his two little cronies." I reply. "They had it coming."

"I'm surprised people haven't already met with you." Rasa says. "Ever since you were a little kid you could take on boys twice your size. You're the daughter of two war heroes. Your mentor is a legendary fighter. And you even know Ruby Rose."

"My dad says it's because I'm too much of a problem child." I say in air quotes.

"Nah, Professor Gull doesn't really care about that much. If you didn't have issues to work through there would be no reason to go through the Academy, except as a formality."

"Come to think of it…" I think back to the other day when I met Suna Gull. "I did meet him. It was after I beat up Apollo. My dad and Yang were arguing and I snuck out. Scaled Shade Academy and got chewed out by the Headmaster. He did say he was holding me to a higher standard."

"Geez, you're so lucky." Rasa gushed.

"I'm really not." I blush as I prop myself up on a dumpster.

I hear footsteps coming from down the alley. I look in that direction. A young woman, probably a teenager with red hair and goat horns starts walking our way. She looks at us and her hand drifts to the sword on her hip.

"You two, get lost." She says.

"You don't own the place!" I say.

"Nova, maybe it's not a good time to fight." Rasa says as she grabs my wrist.

"Hey what's the hold up!" Another voice shouts from around the corner.

"Just some punk kids looking for a beating." The woman said.

"You know what….we were just leaving." I say as I narrow my eyes. Something doesn't feel right. And I wasn't about to get involved prematurely. Rasa leads me out but then I pull her around the corner.

"What are you doing?" Rasa asks.

"How good are you at climbing?" I ask as I look up the side of the building.

"Impeccably decent." She says as she moves tufts of pink hair from her eyes. I nod and jump to the nearest out of place brick. "Nova, what are you doing?" She growls in frustration before following me. I climb the building the same way I did Shade. Rasa slowly follows behind me. Her hands glow with pink energy as she uses her semblance to keep her grip.

I dart to the edge of the rooftop and lay down. My eyes peek over the edge into the alleyway. A punch of people with swords are meeting with a bunch of people with guns. All the ones with swords were Faunas and all the ones with guns weren't.

"Get down." I hiss as I force Rasa down with me.

"Nova Wukong, what the hell are you doing?" Rasa whispers.

"What are we doing you mean." I correct.

"Don't group me in with yourself at a time like this." I roll my eyes at Rasa's cowardice.

"You want to be a hero, you're going to have to get a little dirty." I state. "Now shut up, I'm trying to hear." Even with silence I couldn't make out what they were saying. But I saw the Faunas pull out some cases full of cash and the other gang pull out cases full of dust. "That's all I needed to see."

I stand up and jump down on the one of their faces. I flip around and kick the leader of the other gang in the nose. I create a clone so that I could punch two more people at the same time. The element of surprise wears off and one of them pulls on my tail and slams me down. I defiantly stare down the barrel of a gun, confident that my aura could tank the shot.

"Well, well, well, what have we here." The human thug leader was wearing a snake skin suit.

"Boss Cobra." Says the woman who kicked us out of the alley. "Looks like this brat didn't get the memo. Allow me to end her life."

"Eh, she's just a kid." Cobra says. "Tie her up and leave her." A pink ray cuts his gun in half as Rasa jumps in. Her glowing fist collides with Cobra's nose.

"Damn you Nova." Rasa growls. Sirens started blaring in the distance. "Think before you get yourself killed."

"Everyone scram!" Boss Cobra shouts. He grabs the suitcase of dust but the redheaded swordsman steps on his hand. "We'll seal the deal another day Eve."

"No, we need this dust now." She snarls. Her hand reaches for her blade and pulls it out. In the blink of an eye she fully swings the sword. It clinks against a metal object as a black blur intercepts the attack. Eve's sword is snapped in two. The blade flies into the wall. Standing face to face with the swordsman was Mom.

"Mom?" I blink.

"You!" Eve hisses. My Mom stands unflinching. Boss Cobra still looks confused as to how he's still alive. Mom clenches her sword and starts to draw it. Eve turns tail and runs away.

"Don't let her get away!" I shout as I chase after her but my mom stops me. "Kuso yoroi." I hiss.

"Rasa, right?" Mom says. Rasa nods. "Go home." She grabs my hand and pulls me away from the alley.

"Let me go!" I try fighting back. Mom's hands are calloused and her grip is stronger than a pair of handcuffs. "You let her get away!" I kick her shin. She slaps me across the face. She had never slapped me like that before. She had hit me, but only ever on the butt when I misbehaved.

"I saved your life." She says as tears well up in her eyes. "Those people are dangerous! What would have happened had I not been close? That man would be dead and it would be your fault. And if Rasa hadn't called the police…."

"You were spying on me!" I shout, though a part of me feels relieved that she stayed so close.

"That's not the point! You can't just jump into the middle of two powerful gangs without a plan."

"Don't lecture me like you know me! You don't know how strong I am. You don't know what I can…"

"No this is where you zip it! The adult is talking." She pushed forward. "That man, Boss Cobra, is a government informant. What if he died tonight? Different story because that's on you. And if something happened to you, I feel like that's on me." My eyes drift down to her feet.

"I just wanted to be like you and Mrs. Ruby." I whisper. "I want to be the hero, I want to be the best. I….when you can fight, and you see bad things happening, and you don't do anything, and people get hurt, they get hurt because of you. When I see people trading money for dust, I just, start thinking what they're going to use it for." My mom drops to her knees and pulls me into a hug.

"That's no excuse for acting stupid." Mom says through tears and laughter. "Even Ruby thinks about the people she's putting at risk with her actions. But maybe….you're just too young to really get that. Please…." She kisses the top of my head. "Don't grow up too fast."

 **AN: Short chapter, but most of the chapters in this fic will be pretty short. That's what makes it a mini-story.**


	4. Mrs Ruby

All That Matters

 **AN: As I write this, a few hours ago I found out Stan Lee just died. Perhaps no single man has had more of an impact on how people write characters than him. His influence can't be overstated. RIP and Excelsior Stan Lee.**

Chapter 3: Mrs. Ruby

I can be pretty groggy in the mornings. I'm more of a night owl than either of my parents. But my window faces the sun so I rarely get a chance to sleep in. Try as I might, the light of day wins out. I can toss and turn and put my pillow above all I like, all it is is a waste of time.

I stumble into the kitchen. Mom is looking out the window with a paper in her hand and stuffs it in her pocket as I approach the kitchen. I make my way straight to the coffee pot and begin pouring myself a glass.

"Good morning sunshine." Mom says as she turns and smiles.

"Morning." I raise the glass to my lips and blow on it.

"Since when do you drink coffee?" She asks.

"I have for a while now." I shrug.

"Are you excited for Ruby to be here?" Mom asks. I nod my answer. I was always excited when Mrs. Ruby was involved. Though, I tried restraining myself when I was actually around her. "Well I'm sure she'll be here soon." She begins to turn around and comes face to face with a set of silver eyes.

"Boo!" Mrs. Ruby shouts. The Hero of Remnant, who bested great monstrosities and defeated the ultimate villain during the Grimm War, was hanging upside down outside the window. My mom jumps back in surprise.

"Ruby!"

"Did you miss me?" Mrs. Ruby says as she swoops in. A faint cry grows louder and louder as Mrs. Ruby holds her hand out the window. She catches a cluster of orange and pulls it inside. The orange cluster unravels revealing Citrine.

"Eccentric as ever." Mom face palms.

"I'm famished." Ruby pokes Mom on the forehead. Before I even realize it, she's gone. A trail of rose petals lead from the window to the coffee pot. "Ah, cream and five sugars." She slurps the drink down. "How're you kiddo?" She asks as she pats my head.

"Fine." I blush.

"Wait, why were you falling?" Mom asks.

"I wasn't falling." Citrine defends. "I was um….working on my landing strategy. Mom is the one who pulled me in."

"I may have paid the pilot a little extra to fly directly over your house." Mrs. Ruby says.

"That is excessive." Mom argues.

"Oh get the stick out of your bum." Mrs. Ruby says as she disappears in another cloud of rose petals. This time the trail leads to our pantry. "I merely saved myself some time."

"Citrine could have gotten hurt." Mom says.

"Like I'd let anything bad happen to her." Mrs. Ruby rolls her eyes. She pulls out a thing of cookies and opens up the package.

"Where's Jaune at?" Mom asks.

"Getting our hotel room silly." Mrs. Ruby states as if it was the only possibility. "I wasn't about to jump out of a bullhead with all my luggage for this trip and then throw it around your place like I own it."

"No, you'd rather just raid my pantry." Mom replies.

"Nova." Citrine catches my attention. "It's been a while." Citrine has changed a lot since I last saw her. She's gotten taller and her body is starting to fill out and become more mature. I subconsciously feel my own chest, which is still flat, without realizing it. But apparently Citrine did. "Yep, I know." She puts her hands on her hips and huffs her chest out.

"It's not fair." I huff. "You're a year older than me." Citrine took after both her parents. She had her mother's eyes and her dad's face. Her hair was blonde, but darker than her dad's. She actually resembled Yang in a lot of ways. Her hair was wavy and hung over her shoulders. Her cloak was orange but her skirt and top were white.

Mrs. Ruby on the other hand didn't look like she had changed at all since the old days. She still had the same red cloak and corset that accentuated her bust. Crescent Rose hang above the hem of her skirt.

"Now, where is my beloved sister?" Mrs. Ruby asks as she brings her hands together.

"She's doing a little job for the Academy. We didn't figure you'd be here until later." Mom states.

"Well, you know me. If there's a quicker way, I'll probably take it." Mrs. Ruby practically inhales a row of cookies. She bursts into rose petals again and appears behind her old teammate. "So, Blake."

"Ruby, can you please stop doing that!" Mom shouts.

"Oh, simmer down, they'll disappear in a few minutes." Mrs. Ruby says referring to the petals. She rubbed Mom's head and pinched her cat ears. "What have you been up to? I never hear from you anymore. Need my help to knock some skulls?"

"Ruby, not every problem can be solved with brute force." Mom says.

"Well, no problem can be solved by being so secretive." Mrs. Ruby leaned up close to Mom's face.

"I don't want to talk about it right now." Mom's eyes drifted over to me and she stuffs her hands in her pockets. Mrs. Ruby's eyes trace the lengths of her arms as well. She sighs and takes a step back.

"Alright well, I've been having an easy time at work." Mrs. Ruby changed the subject. "Biggest thing I've hunted recently is a basilisk and even that didn't put up much of a fight. This might sound a little morbid but I kinda miss people like Cinder running around. I mean, there's always Levi but nobody has seen or heard anything from him in almost a decade."

"I know. Yang's been trying to track him down since that night." Mom states.

"Wait, who's Levi?" I ask.

"Nobody you need to worry about." Mom replies.

"Supervillain that gave me a run for my money a short time before you were born." Ruby countered.

"Ruby." Mom tried stopping her.

"Hey, it's my accomplishment and I've got nothing to hide." Mrs. Ruby stated. "So, when Citrine was about a month old…."

"Gah, here she goes again." Citrine says as she rolls her eyes. "I've heard this story at least a hundred times." She whispers in my ear. I throw a finger up, hanging on every single word as Mrs. Ruby recounts the crisis Levi brought to Vale and how she triumphed over the villain.

Mrs. Ruby shares her adventures with us and even helps out with dinner. Yang, Dad and Jaune come in a little later after finishing up all of their work. After dinner, Mrs. Ruby leaves for her hotel room with her family. She promises to drop Citrine off in the morning before going to her meeting.

Dad makes sure I get ready for bed at a reasonable time this time. Mom stays eerily quiet throughout the night. I know she's not as expressive as Yang or Mrs. Ruby but I expected her to be a little happier to have her team here. I thought being together was all that mattered to her.

I can hear a thunderstorm approaching. Thunderstorms in Vacuo can be very dangerous. Since I'm awake, might as well make sure my window is closed tight. I roll off my bed and towards my window. I can see the dusty clouds crackling in our direction.

My window is open, so I slam it shut and lock it. On the adjacent rooftop, I thought I saw a shadowy figure in a mask staring up at me. I rub the sleep out of my eyes and the figure was gone. Must have been my imagination. I can feel my throat start to get scratchy, so, while I'm up, I might as well get a drink of water.

I sneak into the kitchen and for a split second I thought I saw Mom with her white coat and a mask. My heart starts racing. Did I have a nightmare and not remember it? Was this all my imagination or did I actually see something.

"Hello?" I say as I look around. My night vision kicks in and allows me to see everything. The apartment is just how it was left after we cleaned up. Yang's missing from the couch but it looks like she was laying here. I even feel the couch, and its still warm. She must have stepped outside. Maybe that's what I saw. Her brown coat would probably look the same as Mom's white coat in the dark. Without anything else to go on, and with sleep overtaking my eyes again, I decide to call it a night.

 **AN: I wrote this over the course of 2 days and in that time I completely forgot where I was going with Ruby's introduction. Well, next chapter is when the actual plot kicks in.**


	5. Gone

All That Matters

 **AN: I wish I had the drive to do a chapter a day like I used to. I'm not even close with wrapping up this story. I'm enjoying it, and I still think this is a good side story. But it feels that it's becoming a drag when I'm doing this alongside so many other projects.**

Chapter 4: Gone

My body is shaking. I'm fighting back the tears in my eyes. I'm questioning whether I should scream, cry or sit here silently seething. My heart feels like it's tripping over itself trying to process this. I wrap my tail around my stomach to try and fight the pit consuming it.

"You need to calm down." Yang says as she puts a hand on my dads arm.

"Don't tell me to be calm!" Dad snaps. "She has never left in the middle of the night like this!"

"I'm sure she just went for a walk or something." Yang says.

"I swear if you know anything about where she is that you're not telling me…."

"She didn't tell me anything either!" Yang shouts as he eyes flash red. "I have defended Blake more times than I can count. Yes, I've even lied for her. But don't you dare accuse me of trying to hide something important from you. If I knew what she was doing, and decided to lie for her, I'd say she got an emergency mission or decided to hunt some Grimm outside the city. I wouldn't act like I don't know anything."

Dad sits down on the couch, next to me. I slowly join hands with him, partially to comfort him but mostly trying to comfort myself. I have no delusions that it's been just as hard as him as it has been for me. I know I've made his life more difficult.

"Do you...have any idea what might have set her off?" Dad asks in a low voice.

"She seemed pretty spooked the other day." Yang says. "She didn't tell me what, but she ran into someone familiar when she was going to get Nova."

My ears perk. The woman with the goat horns, the one who told me and Rasa to scram. She did seem to know who Mom was. That wasn't just my imagination. But what did some thuggish teenager have to do with my mother?

"I'm going after her." Dad stands up.

"Sun." Yang put a hand on his chest. "Either Blake is perfectly fine, or she didn't want you to follow her for a reason. Let me go. I'll…"

"Keep enabling her?" Dad asks. Yang bites her lip in response. "With all due respect, I appreciate everything you've done for my family, but I'm the one who is going after her this time." He moves her out of the way.

"That's not fair to any of us." Yang whispers. As Dad walks out the door, Citrine slips in. A confused look crosses her face.

"What's going on?" She asks.

"It's nothing." I lie. It obviously wasn't a good lie. Citrine doesn't seem convinced in the slightest.

"Well, my Mom is off to her meeting." Citrine says. "I was hoping Nova could show me around Vacuo."

"I'd rather you not." Yang sighed.

"Pleeeeeease!" Citrine scatters in a burst of orange petals and hugs Yang. "Please Aunt Yang, I don't want to be cooped up in such a gloomy place. I promise I'll keep her out of trouble."

"Hey!" I object to the implication that I'm the one who'll cause trouble. Citrine laughs through her teeth.

"Alright." Yang submits. "But you better be back by lunch time."

"Yay!" Citrine cheers and grabs me by the hand. The next thing I know we're outside the building. "Alright, so what is going on? And don't you lie to me."

I catch Citrine up to speed. I even tell her about the thugs I ran into the other day and the suspicious things I saw last night. It's not until then that I realize one of the feelings I'm feeling is guilt. I could have stopped her. But I wasn't smart enough or aware enough to see what was going on.

"And now we're here." I say.

"Well then, looks like we need to go to the police station and ask about this Boss Cobra character." Citrine says confidently.

"There's no way they'd tell me something like that!" I shout.

"Why? Because you've abused that information to cause trouble?"

"Shut up!" I blush.

"If these cops are anything like the ones in Vale, they'll tell us just about anything if I promise to introduce them to my Mom." Citrine smiles.

I lead Citrine to the police headquarters. It was one of the larger structures in Vacuo. If anyone knew who the woman with the sword was, they'd be in this building. It was a long shot, but Citrine seemed confident everything would work out.

"Can I help you?" The Secretary asks.

"Ah yes." Citrine starts. "You see, my friend here interrupted a very important thing the other day and she wanted to apologize to those involved."

"Name?"

"Boss Cobra." I respond.

"I meant your name."

"Oh." I blush. "Nova Wukong."

"And I'm Citrine Rose." Citrine jumped onto the desk and sat on it. "You've probably heard of my mom."

"I'm sorry." The Secretary says. "I can't just let kids talk to our officers. I don't care who your parents are."

"Please!" I beg. "I need to know who all was involved in the Boss Cobra case the other day. I need to...to a…." Before I can finish Headmaster Suna Gull walked out of an office and looked straight at me. "Headmaster!" I wave.

"Are these kids bothering you?" Suna asks the secretary.

"They want to talk to the officers involved in the botched White Fang sting the other day." She says.

"White Fang?" Citrine ponders while she puts a finger to her lips. I've heard that name before.

"Hmmm…." He looks the two of us over. "Is that all?" Citrine smiles and gives him a thumbs up. "Come with me."

Suna leads us into a conference room. He motions for us to take a seat. Citrine seems unusually calm in front of such an imposing figure. Maybe she's just used to being around legendary warriors between her own parents and Headmaster Qrow Branwen of Beacon. Suna gets two cans of soda out of the vending machine and offers them to us. Citrine takes hers immediately and starts chugging it down.

"Thank you." I say.

"It wasn't an apology you were hoping to give." Suna discerned. "I know about your parents. Your father was just here looking for Blake. I told him what I know, but tell me, what will you do with this information?"

"Anything we can to help." Citrine said. Suna nodded in response.

"Careful not to let your parents' influence get the better of you." Suna says. "Blake Belladonna saved you from an up and coming White Fang leader. Then yesterday…..they threatened your life. So, she left to deal with them."

"She left because of me?" My head hung low.

"Wait, she told you and not anyone else?" Citrine asks.

"She needed to know where they're hiding out. I gave her a few tips." Suna says.

"Where is it?" I raise my voice to ask.

"With all due respect. You are a child. You don't even have a weapon of your own." Suna says. "Now, go, I have urgent matters to attend to." He heads towards the door. "I wish you well."

"Well, that's probably as good as we're going to get it." Citrine says as we exit the building.

"No." I refuse to admit defeat. "He would have told my dad the same thing he told us, on top of telling him where she was heading." I start typing on my scroll. "Which means, my dad is heading in the same direction she was."

"What are you doing?" Citrine asks.

"I just pinged my dad's scroll twice. He downloaded this app on my scroll so he could keep track of me, the jerk. But he probably doesn't realize that this is a two-way street."

"So you know where he is?"

"I know where he's going." I nod. "This way."

This time I lead the way through Vacuo. The lay out of the city is pretty simple. It's a grid with very few roads ending in dead ends before they reach the city wall. Excitement starts to take us both. This is the first time I've gone on a proper adventure on my own. I could practically see my parents congratulating me on my bravery when I catch up to them. I get so caught up I don't see what's coming.

"Get down!" Citrine scatters and tackles me. My face gets plastered with sand. I look up and see half a dozen Faunas wearing masks cutting us off.

"You were right, she is trailing her parents." One thug says.

"This is perfect." It was her, the girl with the horns and the sword. It was Eve. "Capture them both."

 **AN: Cliffhanger's are a good way to keep ya'll interested. Anyway, next time will be an action chapter. Looking forward to it.**


	6. Spring

All That Matters

 **AN: Uh, I feel like, I'm so used to RWBYond Home, that I can no longer write a scene that's more than 500 words. But, so long as everything I want to convey gets conveyed and you all like it, I'm fine with the final product.**

Chapter 5: Spring

Eve was stepping forward. Citrine and I both stood our ground. We are still in the city, but there doesn't seem to be anyone else nearby. Aside from Eve, there's six thugs wearing masks. They are all wearing white whereas she is wearing black.

"You're coming with us." Eve hisses.

"I don't think so." Citrine says as her eyes narrow. There is a quick snap as Citrine grabs my wrist and scatters down an alley. The world blurs around me. Next thing I know we're crashing into a trash can and tumbling down. "Ow." Citrine says as she holds her ankle.

"We should stand and fight." I stand my ground as Eve slides into view.

"We need to run." Citrine pleads. "These guys seem like bad news."

"What do you want from us?" I shout my question at them while ignoring Citrine's attempt to pull me away.

"Justice." Eve thumbs her sword. In an instant she springs into action, drawing her blade.

"Damn it!" Citrine shouts. She scatters in front of me and blocks the sword strike with the trash can lid. I can see her orange aura pulsating, keeping her from slicing through the aluminum pan.

"Hmm." Eve's face tightened in frustration. She waves her sword wildly. Citrine keeps blocking the attacks. She scatters around the heavier slices and teases Eve, making the thug even angrier.

"MLEH!" Citrine sticks her tongue out.

The other six thugs catch up. I quickly grab the trash can and throw it at them. With their vision blocked I jump onto the wall and spring off it to kick one of them in the face. I plant my feet into the ground and use my til as a counter balance while I blast one in the stomach. He staggers backwards a little bit. The third thug grabs my wrist and the fourth one kick me in the stomach.

"Stop struggling." He says.

"I want her alive!" Eve shouts. "Kill the other one!" They all aim guns at Citrine.

"Uh oh." Citrine scatters into petals and appears in between all the thugs as they fire. "Geez, you guys are terrible shots." She scatters between one of their legs, tripping him up and making him shoot one of his friends. A few shots glance off her aura but she doesn't miss a beat.

"The hell is this brat made of?" One of them says. I jump up and elbow him on the top of the head. Citrine scatters and headbutts him in the stomach knocking him out. She shakes the dizziness from her head and takes a blade to the face. She flies back into the wall and the remaining thugs charge her.

"Citrine!" I shout as Eve kicks my legs out and holds her blade against my throat.

"Checkmate." Eve hisses.

Citrine grabs her impromptu weapon and strikes one of the thugs in the head, knocking him out. The others stay back and fire. Citrine tries scattering but one bullet pierces her leg. She hits another thug in the neck with her makeshift shield. The bullets come flying at her. She braces herself behind her shield.

The shots echo and scatter. A red mound stands between Citrine and the guns for a split second and disappears. A thunderclap echoes through the alleyway. A gust of wind slammed into Eve, blasting her away. The other thugs all scattered, trying to figure out what's going on.

Before I can even look up, I feel a hand on my head, messing up my hair and filling my heart with hope. All I can see is the red cape licking at the wind, and a tentative thumb pointing towards the sky.

"It's alright now." A voice echoes nearby. "Why? Because I am here!" The red curtain is pulled away and I see Mrs. Ruby with a beaming smile. She turns towards Eve. Silver light starts surrounding her eyes and a layer of green light surrounds the silver. "And you're in for a show."

"Mom!" Citrine shouts.

"Mom?" Eve looks at Citrine and then turns to Mrs. Ruby. "Every one run!" Mrs. Ruby claps her hands together. The sheer power of the most powerful huntress in the world shakes the world. Petals start surrounding her. In the blink of an eye, they fly forward and batter Eve and three of the other thugs. Massive wooden vines rips through the ground to bind them.

Two thugs try to run in the opposite direction. With a wave of magic, the dusty road turns into thick inescapable mud. One of them tries to punch her and breaks his hand on contact. He screams and steps back as Mrs. Ruby encases him in ice. The final thug grabs Citrine and holds her hostage. Mrs. Ruby sighs and for a split second, I see Crescent Rose begin to unfurl. Faster than I can process, the thug is slammed against the wall, the gun is shredded and Citrine is safe.

"Well then." Mrs. Ruby turns to face both of us. I walk over to Citrine and help her up. She strains to put pressure on her leg.

"It was all Nova's idea!" Citrine instantly throws me under the bus.

"That's a bold faced lie!" I protest. Citrine covers my mouth and pulls her in.

"I'm already on thin ice with her after last time." Citrine hisses.

"What do you mean last time?" I ask.

"Ahem!" Mrs. Ruby interrupts us.

"Nova's mom is missing and her dad left to find her!" Citrine mouth starts running as fast as her semblance. "We wanted to track down what happened on our own but we didn't even get a chance to really do anything I swear because we're not even outside of the city and these guys try capturing us but I…"

"Citrine." Mrs. Ruby interrupts her.

"Yes Mom?" Citrine winces.

"I know." Mrs. Ruby says. "Suna caught me up to speed."

"Are we in trouble?" Citrine asks.

"Not with me." Mrs. Ruby says with a smile. "I'd be a hypocrite if I chastised you for doing the exact same thing I'd do at your age."

"Thank you." Citrine breathes a sigh of relief.

"Your Dads on the other hand…." A shiver ran down my spine and Citrine dropped to her knee. Ruby walks over to her and took a knee. Her hand starts glowing as she runs it across Citrine's leg. Citrine's wound starts closing. She grabs Citrine's hood and pulls it over her head. "These guys are dangerous, for you. For me, or anyone else with even remedial huntsman training they're fodder."

"What are we going to do?" Citrine asks. "They wanted Nova alive and I…"

"You, are going back to your dad and staying put." Mrs. Ruby frowns. "This gang...it's a relic from the past, Blake's past. I see now she's still trying to handle them herself. And now they're coming for you." Mrs. Ruby looks at me. "So, Nova and I are going after them."

"That's no fair!" Citrine protests.

"I healed your leg, but it'll take a day to fully recover from a wound like that." Mrs. Ruby says. "It's better, and safer, for you to be with your dad, and for Nova to be with me." Her eyes widened and in a snap she spun around and fired her gun. The bullets hit her creations and the walls. "Damn."

"Wait, what happened?" I ask.

"Where's all the thugs go?" Citrine asks. All seven White Fang members were now gone.

"An obnoxious little imp." Mrs. Ruby says. "This mission just got a lot deadlier. I'll escort you to Jaune before Nova and I set out. Tell him the imp twins are involved. He'll know who you're talking about."

"That doesn't answer my question." Citrine stands her ground.

"I've never actually met them, I only know their reputation and their powers." Mrs. Ruby says. "I was warned thirteen years ago, to be careful of Cloak and Dagger."

 **AN: The plot thickens. Ruby seems overpowered here, but she's effectively fighting people on par with Junior's thugs from Volume 1. Later on, there'll be a more serious fight.**


	7. Reunion

All That Matters

 **AN: I initially wanted to make this story 13 chapters, but at the pace its going, its going to be more like, 10. All the better for me because it means this'll wrap up faster and I can move back to the main story sooner.**

Chapter 6: Reunion

Mrs. Ruby helped load up a backpack full of provisions. We also already dropped Citrine off with Jaune. I was a little worried about what Yang would say, but Mrs. Ruby already fed her a little white lie to keep her off our back.

"So wait…" Something finally clicks in my head. "You...know where my mom is?"

"Well, you know where Sun was heading, Suna knew where Blake was heading, and as a mother I basically know everything anyway." She winks at me. "I can't say for sure, but I have a pretty good idea where those thugs would be hiding out. And with any luck, your parents are both there. Whether they're already cleaning their clocks or staying their for a night looking for clues is up to the bad guys."

We stepped out of the city gates. Minutes later, we're passing the first marker. I realize, this is the furthest I've ever been from my house without my dad's company. Mrs. Ruby takes a deep sigh and hits herself in the face with a green wind. I smile at how the heat seems to be getting to her more than me.

"You get used to it." I say.

"Yeah, I'm used to all kinds of weather." She says as she stretches her arms. "This cape and outfit are doing a great job protecting me from the worst of the sun's heat but...it's also keeping all my body heat inside. Before too long there'll be a nice layer of sweat between the flesh and the leather." She laughed.

"Gross." I roll my eyes. That's what I love about Mrs. Ruby. This is what I have that none of my classmates do. For them, Mrs. Ruby is this legendary warrior who is completely untouchable. For me, she is tangible. She is human. She is strong and kind yet obtainable. I know, that one day, I can be just like her, and just as strong.

"Grab my hand." Mrs. Ruby says as she turns around and holds her hand out. "It'll be dark soon and we should get a move on."

"Okay." I slowly grab her hand. In the next moment the entire world becomes a blur. She carries me away in a cloud of rose petals. I can feel my body moving at an incredible speed yet there's no wind hitting my body. This continues for over an hour before it stops.

"Whew." Mrs. Ruby starts huffing and catching her breath. "You're heavier than I thought. Took a lot out of me kid." A large smile crossed her features. "But...we made it."

I look past her, down the hill. There's a small abandoned outpost. Right next to it, I can see Dad's skiff that he uses when on local missions. He's here! Mom might not be here but he is. Words fail me as I run down the hill. I slide down the sandy path. My voice catches into my throat as I fail to call out to them.

I burst through the door to the compound. My eyes meet their forms. Mom is wearing a mask and Dad has his hand on her arm. They both look at me. I'm trying to fight it but I can't. Tears start welling up into my eyes. All of the day's fatigue catches up to me all at once.

"Nova!" Mom shouts.

"What are you doing here?" Dad asks.

"You...you left me!" I shout. "I didn't know what was going on. You left without saying a word! I had to...I had to find you." I looked up and saw my mom's hand ghost towards her sword.

"Is it really you?" She asks.

"What are you saying? Of course it's me!" I shout. Mom's hand doesn't leave the handle of her weapon. Even Dad's hand is on his staff.

"How did you find this place?" Mom asks.

"I'll do you one better. What the hell do you think you're doing here!" Dad shouts.

"I…." I can't process what's going on. Why are they so angry.

"OOF!" Mrs. Ruby says as she pokes her head through the door.

"Ruby?" Dad asks.

"I should have known." Mom finally puts her hand down.

"Thought I'd give you three a moment but….yeah...are these guys really so strong that you'd be this paranoid?" Mrs. Ruby asks.

"No….but I know they have people on their side who can create illusions." Mom says. "I guess if she's here with you, it's okay."

"No it isn't." Dad crosses his arms. "You took my daughter to the middle of the wasteland and into the crosshairs of…."

"They already came after her." Mrs. Ruby's voice snaps. She marches right up to my dad and looks him in the eye. "If you left Blake alone, she wouldn't be here. I could have brought her back a lot quicker. Your daughter was attacked by White Fang thugs and I had to save her."

"Where's Yang?" Dad asks.

"Hell if I know. But if that wasn't bad enough, they nearly killed Citrine. So...Blake...what do I have to do to end this?"

"No." Mom shakes her head. Her mask hides her expression, making it hard to read her emotions. "This is exactly what I've been trying to prevent. This is my mission. This is my burden. It's my past. And now you're telling me they're coming for our children?"

"It wouldn't have gotten this bad if you just let me help you from the start." Mrs. Ruby argues.

"This isn't the kind of problem YOU can solve!" Mom shouts at Mrs. Ruby. "This isn't some malevolent evil or ancient Grimm. This isn't the kind of problem that'll go away with blunt force and kind words."

"Very well." Mrs. Ruby let a silence hang in the air. "But when were you going to tell me He was involved?"

"As far as I know he's not." Mom answers.

"The woman you encountered the other day, was the one who came for Nova again today. It was Eve Taurus. And the one who pulled her out of my vines was the same one who prevented Yang from ending this thirteen years ago."

Mom nods and takes a seat. She takes her mask off and sets it beside herself. She takes a few deep breath as she looks at me, and then Mrs. Ruby. Mrs. Ruby taps her foot in a show of annoyance. Finally, mom opens her mouth.

"Trust me, he's not involved." Mom says. "Those imps, Cloak and Dagger, far as I can tell they're helping anyone and everyone with a vendetta against us. But the one we need to worry about right now is Sienna Khan. And I doubt her and Vile would ever get along."

"Sienna Khan, I've heard that name before." Mrs. Ruby says.

"She was a captain, a little older than Adam. A few years back she formed a new White Fang. She's their leader, and her goal is to eventually create a kingdom in which the Faunas are the ruling class and they can enslave other people." Mom wraps up her explanation. "Obviously, that requires manpower. And me and my parents are the biggest hindrance to recruiting the people she needs to pull her plans off."

"So if I send Sienna Khan flying this'll be over?" Mrs. Ruby asks.

"God, no, you'll only make things worse!" Mom shouts back. "If you, a human, takes her down you'll make her a martyr. We can't afford to kill her or even imprison her. We must turn people against her. I'm the only one who can do that because….."

"Because you were one of them." Dad finishes.

"Please, Ruby...take Nova and leave." Mom begs. "I'd say take Sun with you too...but I know more than anyone he's too stubborn and too strong to be worth the effort."

"No!" I shout in opposition. My anger takes hold. "You're always leaving! How long will it be this time? A week? A month? A year? Why won't you let Mrs. Ruby help. Who the hell cares if she beats up Khan?"

"Nova Wukong watch your mouth!" Dad snaps.

"Shut up!" I shout back. "Do you two even care about how I feel?"

"I promise, we'll be back home soon." Mom pleads. "Just give us a few days."

"Then I'm coming with you!"

"Nova, be reasonable."

"I can take care of myself. I know how to cook, I know where you can get water." I drop to my hands and knees. "I know how to fight. I can help. Please let me help!" Tears fall from my eyes. "Don't leave me." I squeeze my eyes shut and curl up into a ball. My heart is racing. Mt mind is fuzzy.

"Nova." I feel a hand on my head. I look up and see Mrs. Ruby's silver eyes. "I know how you feel. I cried just like that when my mom would go out on missions. I understand your fear." She looked back at my parents. "Neither of you have ever lost a parent in a mission like this. I've lost both."

"Then you know how important this is." Mom says.

"I do." Mrs. Ruby says. "I know that, no matter how strong I am, one wrong move can be the death of me. It scares me, thinking about how Jaune and the kids and the entire world would react, what they would turn into. And I still fight, just like you still fight."

"Thank you." Mom says.

"But that doesn't excuse this." Mrs. Ruby continues. "When Citrine was taken right beneath our noses, I was more scared than I have ever been. Balancing the life of a huntress and a mother is the most difficult thing anyone can do. And if I ever did anything to betray that, to cause Citrine to look at me like this, I'd never forgive myself. So, how can you?"

"I…." Mom's voice hitches in her throat. Her eyes widen and she draws her sword.

"I feel it too." Mrs. Ruby says.

I can feel the ground start to shake. Mrs. Ruby looks at me with a sad look. In this instant, I remember that negative emotions attract Grimm. And in the next moment, Mrs. Ruby is flying me into the sky as a juggernaut crashes through the walls of the compound. A nevermore flies towards us. In a burst of green flames, Mrs. Ruby eradicates the Grimm. She scatters us to the ground and as soon as her foot touches the sand, a blast of energy hits her shoulder and she flies away from me.

"Well, what do we have here." On top of the rhino-like juggernaut, there's a girl in a yellow cloak with the hood pulled up obscuring her face. "A Maiden, an Arbiter, a Huntsman and a brat."

"Cloak!" Mrs. Ruby's voice took a sinister tone as silver light enveloped her eyes.

 **AN: Next time will be an action-heavy chapter. I'd say we're halfway through the story now. This chapter was also a lot more fun to write. And i feel like next chapter will also be fun.**


	8. Imp

All That Matters

 **AN: I'd say this is the end of act 2. After this we'll be racing towards the climax and resolution to this story.**

Chapter 7: Imp

"Cloak!" Mrs. Ruby's voice took a sinister tone as silver light enveloped her eyes.

"So, you know my name?" The Imp says.

I look to the side and see my parents battling a hoard of Grimm. Neither one of them look back at me, probably confident in Mrs. Ruby's ability to protect me. Either that or they cared more about themselves.

"Where's Levi?" Mrs. Ruby asks.

"I don't constantly keep track of those I have an interest in." Cloak answers. "And trust me, you really don't want a guy like him getting involved right now. My friends in the White Fang have an interest in that little girl and I've come to collect." I feel wind blast the side of my head. I look in that direction and see Cloak's hand outstretched towards my face. Mrs. Ruby's hand had snatched it and was crushing it. I can hear the bones popping and breaking under Mrs. Ruby's grip yet Cloak continued to smile from beneath her hood.

"You're not going to land a finger on her." Mrs. Ruby promises.

"Do you think you can fight me and protect her at the same time?"

"Yes!" Mrs. Ruby shouts. Cloak's hand dislocates and slips through Mrs. Ruby's grasp. Her body twists and she vanishes. A bright light shoots from Mrs. Ruby's eyes, blinding me for a few seconds. When my eyes readjust, I see the juggernaut is petrified right before my eyes.

I look up and see Mrs. Ruby in the air. Rose petals are flying off her body and towards Cloak and then disappearing. The imp unfolds and fires a massive explosion that Mrs. Ruby cuts in half. I look over at my parents, exerting themselves to take down juggernauts. Dad trips one up and then crushes its skull with his staff. Mom cuts through one's horn and then uses a clone to propel herself in the air so she can stab down on its back and bring it down.

So this is the difference. Mom and Dad, this is what it's like for you. This is what high-tier huntsman are capable of. And Mrs. Ruby, with lightning flying off her fingers and rose petals exploding all around the sky, this is what it looks like to be the best. And despite Cloak being completely overwhelmed, she still keeps pace enough to keep Mrs. Ruby from landing the decisive blow.

A snarl snaps behind me. I spin around and see a beowolf lurking towards me. I swallow hard. I'm scared. I'm more afraid than I've ever been. This isn't some street tough thug. This is a real monster, a real Grimm, one of the countless beasts that have forever plagued humanity. But Mrs. Ruby, Mom and Dad are all fighting to protect me and each other. Should I run? Should I stand and fight? Can I fight? My brain turns off as the monster lunges for me.

"Kuso!" On instinct, I throw my fist forward with all my might. My hand burns with energy as I crack through the monster's thick hide. I won't stop there. This is it! This is what I've spent hours of my life training for. I'm twelve years old. Mrs. Ruby was nineteen years old when she saved the world. I have to start here!

I slam my foot into the monster's bottom jaw. I stumble back and send another kick into its arm. Its body snapped and the beast began to disappear. Another pair of beowolves rushed at me. Mrs. Ruby quickly snipped one of them from the air while I smashed down on the other one's head. A beringel ran at me and Mom sliced it in half with a beam of energy.

"Are you alright?" She asks.

"Yeah." I answer.

"Duck." Mom commands me. I do as she says. Her sword folds into a pistol and she starts twirling it around, sicing and blasting any Grimm that get near. Another juggernaut rushed in. Mom grabbed my wrist but then Dad jumped between us and the Grimm, stopping its progress with his staff.

"I won't let you run alone." Dad says as he looks at Mom. "You're both my family, and I'm going to protect you." With brute strength he shrugs off the juggernaut and crushes its head. He turns towards us and then, without warning Cloak appears behind him.

"Daddy!" The words leave my mouth but it's too late. Cloak touches his head and sucks him through a wormhole.

"Sun!" Mom unloads her pistol into Cloak's body but the imp doesn't even budge. She snaps her fingers and fires a gust of wind at us. A red cloud intercepts the wind as Mrs. Ruby fires her gun.

"I suppose that'll have to do." Cloak says with a smile. "We were hoping to get you, but we'll settle for a loved one." In a flash, Mrs. Ruby passes her and cuts her in half. But as the cape unfolds, its revealed that Cloak's body had already vanished.

"Damn it!" Mrs. Ruby curses. "I was sure I had her."

"It'll take more than that to stop her." Mom says as her head starts to hang low. "This is all my fault."

"No, it isn't." Mrs. Ruby says. "No one is to blame except Cloak." Mrs. Ruby reached for Mom's shoulder but she smacked it away.

"No, Ruby, it is! This is exactly what I was trying to prevent. I have been desperately trying to keep him and Nova away from all of this and you bring them right here without even asking me!" She points at me.

"I didn't drag them into anything!" Mrs. Ruby went on the defensive. "Sun chose to chase after you all on his own. So did Nova. They came for her because she was an easy target. And she was an easy target because you won't let me help you end this. The White Fang should have been done after the Grimm War and yet here you are, trying to push me away and deal with this yourself, just like always!"

"This is different!" Mom shouts.

"Shut up!" I shout back.

"Nova." Mom's tone softens. It's only then that I realize my face is caked in tears and my whole body is shaking. "I can't take it anymore!"

"Ruby, take Nova home." Mom says coldly. I drop down and curl up. "Ruby now!"

"What are you going to do?" Mrs. Ruby asks.

"I'm going to save my husband, if I can. This is no place for a child." She grabs my wrist and yanks me up. I squeeze my eyes shut. I try to think back to when we were a happy family. It seems so distant to think of both my parents helping me learn how to walk. "Nova Wukong!"

"NO!" I shout. "I want to help! I NEED to help!" Mom responds by smacking my butt. "Mrs. Ruby?" I drop to my knees and look at her pleadingly. I understand now. Mom will always find someone to push me off on someone to deal with what she wants.

"Listen to your mother." Mrs. Ruby sighs. "Let's go." She holds her hand out towards me. My heart breaks.

"I thought you'd understand." I whisper. I thought she knew what it was like to be powerless while your parents try to save the world. I break my Mom's grip and start running.

"Nova!" Mom shouts.

I don't pay attention to where I'm running. I just start heading towards the setting sun, as fast as I can. All I can see is the endless expanse of sand in front of me. The same words keep repeating in my mind. It's my fault, it's my fault that Dad got taken away. It's my fault we got attacked when we did. It's my fault that Mom keeps leaving! For so long I thought it was because I wasn't good enough or that she thought I didn't need her. Now I know, it's because she keeps fighting alone. She's the one who doesn't want me no matter how much I cry out for her. Well two can play at that game!

I steel myself. I dry my eyes. All the sorrow and pain I've been feeling comes to a boil and is replaced by one emotion. Anger. My tears have done nothing to heal my heart. My joy has done nothing to get her to stay. But anger can be useful as a weapon. I can use that anger to get stronger and make sure I never get hurt again.

My legs give out and I fall face first in the sand. My breath becomes heavy. As my lungs try to recover their oxygen my vision becomes blurry from stress and exhaustion. A massive migraine begins to form in my head. I feel my body start to cramp.

"Well, look what the cat dragged in." A familiar female voice hisses.

 **AN: Okay, this chapter was rough for me to write. I just want to give Nova a hug and tell her about how awesome she's going to become in RWBYond Generations and Home.**


	9. Khan

All That Matters

 **AN: We're approaching the end of this story. I'm just kinda excited to finally get to the last arc in RWBYond Home after this. It's going to be extremely intense.**

Chapter 8: Khan

The room is clad in scarlet and thick balms of perfume infect the air, irritating my senses. I must have passed out while I was running. But where am I? This place is unfamiliar to me. A cold shackle is clasped over my wrist.

"Nova!" Dad's voice gets my attention. He has an aura suppression collar over his neck and his hands are bound.

"Daddy?" I gasp.

"Nova, are you okay? Did they hurt you?"

"I'm fine. Where are we?"

"I don't know. That Imp grabbed me and brought me here before I could even realize what was going on. They brought you a few hours later."

"Hours? It's only been…." My head was starting to hurt.

"It's because I didn't bring you." I loom to the side and see Cloak, or at least I think it's Cloak. She's wearing a red cape now but the voice is the same. "Eve found you out in the desert. Knocked you out and brought you here."

"What do you want with us you creep?" Dad shouts.

"It's not what I want. I'm just an errand girl." Giggles escape her mouth. "But, if you really want to know, you can ask her yourself." She taps Dad on the forehead and he vanishes. Before I can react she does the same for me.

Next thing I know I'm in a wider room lined with torches. The same scent and color pallet coats the room. I'm next to Dad. A fleet of guns and spears point at us. In front of us, is a steep staircase. Sitting on top of it is an older woman with bronze skin, stripe tattoos and tiger ears wearing an elaborate scarlet outfit. By her side, is Eve and another woman who looks about the same age as my parents, with darker skin and long brown hair.

"Khan!" Sun shouts.

"So, you remember me." Sienna Khan smirks as she looks down on me.

"What is it you want?" Sun says. "Why take us?"

"We want what we always wanted. To be treated fairly by those who sought to oppress us." Khan answers.

"Oppress?" The word echoes in my mind. I'm confused, I thought the days when Faunas were oppressed were long over. Sure, jerks like Apollo pick on me because of my tail but it's no different from when he picks on Rasa because of her hair, or anyone else for something mundane.

"You're barking up the wrong tree Sienna, just like Adam did." Dad says as he stands up.

"Don't you dare talk about him like that!" Eve shouted.

"He did nothing for your cause except sell you out to Salem." Dad notes.

"I said…." Eve marches over to him. "Shut up!" She smacks him across the face, knocking him down.

"Don't touch him!" I shout back. Eve kicks me in the stomach, causing me to spit up.

"Eve!" The other woman says. "Control your anger."

"Faunas, are treated more right than ever before." Dad groans. "And you're going to destroy all of that? Is that right?"

"It's not about what's right, it's about what's fair." Khan says as she stands up. "You lived in Vacuo, most of your life. All that matters here is strength, correct?"

"Yeah!" I answer in his place and stand for myself. "The strong, protect the weak. And there's so much more than physical strength."

"You are wise for a child." Khan compliments. "I can see the fires of Vacuo burn bright in you. We should really be working together."

"I'll never work for someone like you." I defy.

"We Faunas are genetically superior. We have everything the humans have and so much more. The two of you should understand as well as anyone. Your tails give you a massive advantage over everyone else. We should be the ones ruling. The humans have always feared us, kept us at a low population. Because they know that if we ever outnumber them, it'll be the end of their race."

"You're wrong." I say.

"In a one-on-one fight, the average Faunas would easily best the average human." Khan responds.

"That's not it." I explain. "You can gather an army and talk about your superiority all you want. But you'll never win. Because the strongest is isn't a Faunas. The strongest person in the world is Mrs. Ruby and she's going to save us!"

"That's enough out of you!" Khan shoots up to her feet. "Ruby Rose can't save you now. She has no idea where this place it. No one does." She steps down from her throne and puts her hand over my mouth. "It's always you Belladonnas getting in the way of things. But soon you'll all be out of my hair."

"Get your hands off of her you bitch!" Dad shouts and pushes forward. Five of the guards spring into action and bat him down.

"The two of you are powerless before me." Khan says with a smirk.

"Take this aura suppression collar off and send your goons away then say that again."

"I grow tired of your insolence." Khan sighs. "Take them away." Cloak tapped both of us on the head and we were instantly back in what I assume is the dungeon.

"That teleportation…." I cough.

"Cloak, she's been a thorn in the world's sigh ever since Salem's fall." Dad says. "One of the many people trying to fill the power vacuum left after the Grimm War. Don't know anything else about her."

"And these are the people Mom's been fighting?"

"Pretty much for as long as I've known her." Dad bites his lip. "I didn't want you to find out this way, but I need to explain some things about your mother."

"Huh?" I readjust myself and wait for it. He tells me everything he knows. He tells me how Grandma and Grandpa were soldiers during the Faunas War. They were on the same squad as Sienna Khan and a few others. The White Fang were formed from the war. Mom was born into it. When she was twelve, the leader stepped down and a new one took his place. Shortly afterwards Grandma and Grandpa went missing and were declared dead.

"We know now that it was actually Cloak and her partner who sent them away." Dad diverges. "We still don't know why, or at least I don't. Your Mom stayed with the White Fang for another couple years. She did a lot of things she's not proud of."

He then explains that Mom had a mentor, a White Fang Captain named Adam Taurus. They were more than mentors though, and I'm old enough to figure out from the context clues and my dad's tone of voice what he means by that. When Mom was seventeen she left the White Fang and joined Beacon. Shortly afterwards, Adam persuaded the White Fang to join Salem. Ever since then, Mom has been fighting against them, no matter the form they take.

"Is that supposed to help me understand?" I ask. "Is that supposed to make me forgive her for breaking my heart over and over again?"

"What, no." Dad says. "I thought you'd understand. Your mother loves you and wanted to protect you from all this."

"Mom is a coward!" I shout. I fight myself to keep tears from forming so I can look stronger than I feel. "She's been scared of these guys for longer than I've been alive and hasn't done anything about it. How am I supposed to take that? Am I supposed to believe she'll just magically beat them now so we can be a happy family again? Or will she find another old leader and leave for months at a time to hunt him down? Huh?"

"Nova I….I don't know what happened in that short time after I was taken away." Dad says. "But I swear, we will get out of this and we will be a family again. I promise. We just have to have patience."

Patience? I've had patience all my life. I've spent more time waiting on my mom than I've spent with her. I want to believe Dad. I want to get out of this alive. But it's not mom I'm putting my faith in. Mrs. Ruby is with her and I know she'll come for us. That's something I can wait for without any fear.

 **AN: That chapter is done. I know it's a pretty big plot hole for Nova to know anything about Cloak at this point, since in RWBYond Generations they meet and seem to not know anything about each other. But I'll try to find a way to rectify that. Or just leave it because only 3 of the people following this story followed RWBYond Generations and seriously, how many of you guys even remembered that much?**


	10. Clash

All That Matters

 **AN: This is the climax of the story. It's been pretty fun all things considered. I'm glad I got this stuff off my chest. Having implications and hints at this stuff through flashbacks and dialogue in RWBYond Home wasn't cutting it for me.**

Chapter 9: Clash

Eve has her blade to my throat. They came in the morning, threw a bag over my head and carried me down into this cave. There seems to only be one way in. Soldiers line the walls. Cloak, and another man wearing a gas mask and a leather suit stand at Khan's side. My father is in the center of the room, facing me. An ox Faunas with a massive axe is looming over him.

"Sienna Khan!" I hear my mother's voice call from the tunnel.

"Mom!" I scream. Eve's blade presses against my neck. Mom steps out of the shadows by herself. Her blade is drawn. Her mask is on. She turns her head towards me, and then Dad, and then Sienna Khan.

"Remove your mask Belladonna!" Sienna shouts as she punches the wall. "You do not have the right to wear that mask."

"These masks, come from the Arbiters." Mom replies. "Adam got the idea from my boss. Far as we're concerned, you don't have the right to wear similar masks."

"I'd hold your tongue girl." Sienna says as the Ox aimed his axe for Dad. "Your life, for one of theirs. Do we have a deal?"

"What?" I whisper to myself. I have no idea what's going on. What deal is she talking about. Mom doesn't answer. Instead she removes her mask.

"Even the Great Ruby Rose- Hero of Remnant wouldn't be able to save them both." Sienna claims. "You're making the right move." Mom throws her sword to the ground and gets on her knees. Ilia puts an aura suppression collar on her and another thug brandishes an axe.

"Master, let me be the one to do it." Eve says.

"Sit back and watch and make sure the brat doesn't escape." Sienna says. "This show is for your benefit as much as it is for mine." She leans back and grins.

"How do I know you'll keep your word?" Mom asks.

"Fine, Eve, lower your weapon." Sienna says. "If anyone tries to come at the last minute, you can take her head. For now, let us enjoy the death of Blake Belladonna."

"I don't think so." Mom says. At that moment, an armor piercing bullet hits the ox's hands, forcing him to drop his axe. Then, in the blink of an eye, a bolt of lightning strikes Eve.

"Kill them now!" Khan shouts. Mom rolls and grabs her weapon. She fires a red cloud that turns into a portal. Yang bursts out of the portal and slams the ground, creating a wall of stone to block the incoming bullets. A cloud of rose petals flies into the room and grabs me and I instantly recognize it was Mrs. Ruby. Before she can get me to safety, Cloak teleports and kicks her in the face but she manages to throw me behind the ice wall.

"Are you okay?" Mom asks, I answer with a nod and a hug to both my parents.

"How'd she use dust without aura?" Khan asks.

"Redstone." The leather-clad man says. "It doesn't require aura to use. You...were outplayed."

"Then why are you standing around?" Khan asks. "Bring me Blake's head, I don't care what you do to the rest."

Mom and Yang are popping in and out of cover, systematically taking out the guards. I help Dad out of his aura suppression collar. He activates his semblance to send out clones to give support. Mrs. Ruby and Cloak are both zipping through the air. The ice wall shatters in an instant as the leather-man slices through it.

"Dagger." Mom says as she intercepts his blade.

"Been a long time, Nemian." Dagger's eyes narrow.

"She's mine!" Ilia shouts as she swings her electric whip. Dad blocks it with his arm and kicks her in the stomach. Yang spins around and blasts her in the face. The next movements happen faster than I can see. The entire room gets torn apart by the shockwaves of battle. Yang is blocking Dagger's sword with her arm. Mom is swatting away Khan's chain whip. Dad is dealing with Ilia, and quickly subduing her.

"Nova, stay behind me." Yang says as she motions towards me.

"You never learn." Dagger coughs as he reaches for her arm. In a flash, Mrs. Ruby slams into him. Yang throws out her arm, intercepts Cloak and rives her into the ground.

"You don't deserve that blade." Mrs. Ruby says. Sparks begin to fly as their auras brush against each other.

"Not your decision to make." Dagger says. In that moment, the lights all go out. My eyes focus and readjust to the limited light. Mom and Yang are fighting Sienna Khan and Cloak. The red clouds they fire seem to be neutralizing Cloak's teleportation. I remember Yang saying that her mask gives her the ability to see in the dark. So, she's fine. The only one negatively affected is Mrs. Ruby.

I watch her closely. My eyes can barely comprehend the movements. Daggers sword is moving, bending, stretching and folding like liquid. The only light in the room is the fire and lightning Mrs. Ruby is using to try and keep Dagger at bay.

It's not working. Dagger must be a Faunas too. He's slicing Mrs. Ruby up pretty badly. I try to move towards her but Dad stops me with his arm. He activated his semblance and summons a dozen light clones. They add some dim light to the cavern. The clones start throwing themselves at Dagger. He slices through the ones that find their mark. Several of the clones that miss slam through a stalactite.

"Ruby, shield Nova!" Dad shouts. Mrs. Ruby follows his voice and shields us both. Dagger looks behind himself and sees a trio of clones grabbing the massive stalactite and shoving it into his chest.

"Close your eyes." Mrs. Ruby warns. I follow her command without questioning it. I feel a massive white light blasting me in the face. All the others in the room start groaning in shock. Faunas have night vision, but when fighting in the dark, they are extremely vulnerable to flashbangs.

As the light fades and my eyes open, I see Yang and Khan. Yang has her pinned to the wall with her fist, and a massive impact crater at Khan's back. All the other White Fang members are knocked out. Mrs. Ruby has her foot on Dagger's back and her scythe aimed at his throat.

"Go ahead and try." Dagger groans.

"I'm not going to waste my time trying simple attacks." Mrs. Ruby says as she wraps him up in vines.

"Damn it." Khan coughs.

"You screwed with the wrong people." Yang says as she pulls her hand back. Khan drops to the floor.

"Don't you ever, come for my daughter again." Dad says as he marches over to her.

"I'm not giving her the chance." Yang says as she winds up another punch. There's a flash in the next moment and the entire cavern shakes.

"Yang, don't do this." Mrs. Ruby says.

"Get out of my way." Yang warns.

"Is this what she turned you into? A murderer?" Mrs. Ruby's eyes narrow.

"I'm trying to prevent things from escalating." Yang says.

"And so am I!" Mrs. Ruby shouts. "She needs to be put on trial. Stand down."

"No." Yang throws another punch. Mrs. Ruby blocks it with her scythe. The cavern shakes again. Mom loses her footing and Cloak slips through. Within a second, Sienna Khan, Ilia, Dagger, Eve and Cloak are all gone. "Son of a bitch!" Yang throws another earth-shaking punch at Ruby, who uses both arms to block it.

"Let's go home." Mrs. Ruby suggested. "We'll talk about this later."

 **AN: I kept wanting to go into more detail but then was thinking it makes no sense for Nova-who is twelve and has only recently started training, to keep up with numerous characters who can move at supersonic speeds. Just another thing I find limiting about first-person that actually made this chapter go a lot quicker.**


	11. Departure

All That Matters

 **AN: This is it. The final chapter in the story and it's going to be more of an epilogue. There's some emotions that need to get aired out. At the end of this chapter, there will be a tease for the final arc of RWBYond Home, and I'm looking forward to that.**

Chapter 10: Departure

I'm sitting in a chair on a ship heading back home to Vacuo. Dad is tending to the scrapes and bruises I've accumulated over the days. Mom is standing between Mrs. Ruby and Yang. I can feel the tension rising in the air. Despite the victory, nobody seems happy. I don't get it, we won, they saved me, why isn't Mom happy about that.

"You shouldn't have gotten in my way." Yang says.

"Is that what she turned you into? A murderer?" Mrs. Ruby asks.

"I do what needs to be done."

"You lost control."

"I was completely in control."

"That's even worse!" Mrs. Ruby shouts.

"We're not like you Ruby." Mom interjects. "I agree that we should have captured her and given her a trial. But when someone threatens the peace we all fought to achieve, that person needs to be eliminated."

"Not everyone can be the shining hero Ruby." Yang says. "Some of us have to get our hands dirty so you don't have to."

"We, had her, and because of you, she escaped."

"Because of you she was alive and able to escape!" Yang's eyes flash into red.

"That doesn't matter now." Mom says as she gets between them. "We need to find them."

"I overheard them talking about making contact with Baloo." Dad says.

"Then they'll be heading for Menagerie." Mom says. "I'll leave there immediately."

"What?" My heart snaps. She's leaving again! It's only been a few days since she came back!

"I should head back to Dragna." Yang says. "It's been a long time. I'm sure my mom has a lot of work for me to do." Mrs. Ruby's expression tightens in frustration and it doesn't go unnoticed.

"If Yang can't go with you, then I am." Dad says as he stands.

"No!" I shout. "Don't go, tell her to stay!"

"Nova." Mom sighs. I run to her and wrap her in my arms.

"PLEASE!" I scream. "Don't leave me alone again, you just came back!" Tears start to swell in my eyes. Mom does nothing to comfort me. She doesn't say a word. "Please!"

"This is important work." Mom says.

"More important than me?"

"It's important because of you." Mom tries to reason. "They came for you, I can't let that slide."

"Then take me with you." I try to bargain. "Grandpa and Grandma are on Menagerie, I can stay with them."

"I can't." Mom says. "The route I'm taking is too dangerous for someone your age."

"Please don't." I drop to my knees. I feel herself pulling my arms off her. Before I can open my eyes and react I feel a comforting hand on my head. I look up, expecting my mother to reassure me that she'll be back soon, just like she always does. But instead, it's Mrs. Ruby.

"You can stay with me while your parents are away." She says with a smile. Something about her aura dries the tears in my eyes.

"Don't worry Nova." Dad says. "I'll make sure she's not gone long."

"Nova...there's time when kids have to be strong for their parents." Mom says. "I need that from you. I'm doing this so you don't have to deal with the mistakes of my past when you become a huntress. This is a path you can't follow, not yet."

"I…" Mrs. Ruby sighs as she eases me up. "If that's your decision, I won't intervene. But please, consider what the consequences of your actions are." She looks at Yang. "The reason I haven't helped Blake is because I think she's right, killing Sienna Khan, will only make her a martyr and assure that what comes next is a lot worse."

"Then I'll fight against them too." Yang says.

The conversation ends there. I walk over to a window with Dad. This is all still too much for me. I grab Dad's hand to try to comfort myself, and comfort him. I used to think I wasn't good enough, or that Mom didn't think I needed her. Now I have a taste of what they're up against. I've seen first hand what they can do and now more than ever….

"I don't get it." I whisper.

"Huh?" Dad says.

"Kuso!" I scream in frustration. "I'm not weak! I'm not! So then why...why does she think she has to leave me every time?"

"Nova...your mother cares about you a lot. I know she does." He says. "But she's always been like this. She used to always run from her problems. Now she can't stand when her problems gets her loved ones hurt. Her mentor, Eve's father Adam, he's the one who cut Yang's arm off and he did it because of her."

"It's cowardly." I say. "Mrs. Ruby brought me along because she knew she could defend me and that i wouldn't get seriously hurt. But my own mother continues trying to coddle me because she's scared?"

"It's not just you." Dad tries reasoning but I tune him out.

"I wish I could just turn these feelings off. I hate her!" I fume as I stomp off.

I sulk to myself as we arrive home. Mrs. Ruby says Jaune and Citrine have already returned home. She gathers some of my things and returns to the ship. Yang and my parents didn't return with her. She sets a suitcase with my stuff next to me, sits down and brushes some dirt off my knee.

"First thing you're doing when we get to my place is taking a bath." Mrs. Ruby says with a smile. I nod my head in acknowledgement as the ship lifts off. The crushing reality that Mom really was going on a mission and taking Dad with her began to set in. A crippling feeling takes hold of my heart. The only comfort is Mrs. Ruby's presence. In this moment, I feel like she's the only one I can tell what's weighing on me.

"Sometimes...I wish she'd just die on a mission." I admit.

"Nova, that's a terrible thing to say." Mrs. Ruby chastises.

"I know." My voice is cracking. "But then I'd have closure, and I wouldn't have to keep worrying about her breaking her promises over and over again." I want to cry but I can't. All my tears are gone. In their place is a burning anger at everything my mother is doing.

"Hey." Mrs. Ruby puts a hand on my leg. "I know that might be how you feel. I've been there myself. But trust me, losing a parent is the hardest thing I've ever had to go through. And both of mine died fighting monsters. I don't want that to happen to anyone else. I don't agree with what your mother is doing, and I hate what it's doing to you. But that's the fate of the children of heroes. Now is the time to be strong and carry on. It's for the best."

"I...didn't realize you lost your parents." I sigh. "I'm sorry."

"It's okay, you have every right to be angry, but don't let that anger control you. Don't let it define who you are." Ruby looked to the floor. "All your pretty words…."

"What?"

"It's nothing just….something someone told me once. You're going to be okay. Things will get better, I promise. That's all that matters in the end."

"I believe you." I say in earnest. "You're the only one I feel I can believe anymore."

"Thanks." Mrs. Ruby closed her eyes. "But please, don't put all your faith in me. I'm...nevermind. My own issues aren't what you need to hear right now."

I don't believe her when she says that. It does make sense that Mrs. Ruby would have her own hangups. But I still can't see her as anything other than the hero I wish to be. But more importantly, after everything I just went through, she's the one hear with me. Not Dad. Not Yang. And certainly not Mom. And that's all that matters to me.

 **AN: Bittersweet ending. But the purpose was to show how Nova went from hopeful for her mother, to the pessimistic brat she was at the start of RWBYond Generations. And also develop her relationship with Ruby because of what's all going to happen in the last 26 chapters of RWBYond Home. Speaking of which, here's the preview:**

 **King Daphnes: Ladies and gentlemen, it is time to mobilize our forces.**

 **All the best fighters of Raiment gather at a table.**

 **Oscar: There was an idea.**

 **A young Abraham protects his brother from King.**

 **Oscar: That to unite the world against the Grimm, one strong and charismatic warrior would stand on the frontlines.**

 **Zeldon puts on his mask and stands at the front of an army.**

 **Oscar: To inspire hope and courage in the next generation.**

 **Ruby puts her hand on Prim's head.**

 **Oscar: Whenever the world is at stake.**

 **Hue is blasted into a wall by Spite.**

 **Oscar: We would find our Guardian.**

 **Zeldon and Prim clash blades. Sparks fly in all directions as the ground splits apart.**

 **Auro: I know what it's like to lose.**

 **Kurome: He's the most powerful being in all of Raiment. His power is second only to Salem.**

 **Auro grabs Avarice by the throat and starts choking him.**

 **Kurome: He's unlike anything we've fought before.**

 **Nova covers her hands in flames. Her punch is blocked and absorbed by Auro.**

 **Kurome: Zeldon and Prim are equal in power. But the one we need to be careful of is the wizard.**

 **Johnny is pinned to the wall by Urboa Naboo.**

 **Kurome: If he gets his hands on any more relics, it'll be the end for us.**

 **Auro puts his hand on Johnny's head and starts squeezing it, causing Johnny to scream in pain.**

 **Oscar: Tell me his name again.**

 **Kurome: Auro.**

 **Auro fires an energy blast. Ebony Sterling catches it in a magic glyph but it shatters, knocking her out.**

 **King: Insolent humans, always fighting amongst themselves.**

 **Johnny: We have one advantage, they're coming to us.**

 **Nova flies towards Castle Dagon as flying beasts pour from its hanger.**

 **Johnny: I have what he wants.**

 **He puts the Relic of Knowledge on his head.**

 **Nova: Then that's what we'll use.**

 **Glade: Everything we're doing is to clear a path for Prim so she can deal with Zeldon.**

 **Prim's aura cascades in a wave, knocking out a room full of people.**

 **Prim: Let's talk about this plan. Without them, we're at a serious disadvantage. So I'm making the executive decision to take the fight to them and free our friends.**

 **Avarice and Ventus sit in a prison cell alongside Thorin Kaye and an old man with scars on his face.**

 **Prim crashing into Beacon tower, destroying it. From the smoke, Prim, Glade, Nickel, Chenzi, Johnny, Nova, Citrine and Avarice stand tall and ready for battle.**

 **Prim jumps off a building and descends into the burning city of Vale.**

 **Prim: Cities can be rebuilt. What I'm fighting for is the future.**

 **Chenzi travels through the Mistral marketplace with Grace.**

 **Argent and Sumire share an awkward moment while flying in a ship.**

 **Citrine, Eiess and Ruby play with the new baby.**

 **Hina brings a plate of food out for Glade.**

 **Prim pulls her sword out.**

 **A hand reaches through the bars to grab her.**

 **All her victories flash before her eyes.**

 **Prim's Fighting Dreamer kicks Zeldon's Black Dog.**

 **The skies start turning purple as Prim runs into a dark fog.**

 **Nova clashes with Rudania. Johnny uses a cloth to ride the explosion into the air and tries to kick Naboo, who catches him in midair with a single finger.**

 **Zeldon marches the the rift alongside all the warriors of Raiment.**

 **King throws a massive, building leveling punch that blasts Prim backwards. She lands on her feet, draws her sword and charges at him.**

 **Prim and Glade stand back to back fighting a dozen soldiers with spears. An airship pulls in to evacuate the group. Prim creates a lasso construct to latch on the ship.**

 **Prim jumps from a ship and flies through Vale with her armored wings construct.**

 **Prim flies around, dodging debris and trying to land a hit on Naboo. She flips around and thrusts her sword but the old Gatekeeper blocks the attack.**

 **Glade blocks an attack from Rudania's hammer and counters with a spear thrust.**

 **Chenzi's punch is caught by Medoh's fist. He spins around and kicks her in the face.**

 **Nickel's blade is caught in Ruda's trident.**

 **Citrine scatters and pulls Argent and Sumire away from a blast.**

 **Avarice flies through the air and throws spikes at Void.**

 **Argent slashes through a Nevermore and lands on a balcony, coming face to face with the Gatekeepers.**

 **Johnny swings from a chain and fires a blast from Amon's Rod at a large man with red hair.**

 **Eiess lands on a rooftop and summons a giant titan Grimm apparition.**

 **Prim leads a charge in the streets of Vale, carving a path through the Grimm.**

 **She passes Nova by. Nova turns to face Fury. The spirit of the Summer Maiden lingers behind her as she fires a blast of violet flame laced with red lightning.**

 **Nova launches Fury in the air with a punch.**

 **Yang lands a powerful blow to King's head.**

 **Argent and Sumire fly through the air after slicing apart a titan Grimm.**

 **King Daphnes, Zeldon and Princess Arryl stand in a field of flowers.**

 **Chenzi catches Zolomon and throws him out a window.**

 **Abraham's spirit clashes with Cinder.**

 **The Old man with scars on his face sits in alone in a prison cell, sighing in despair.**

 **Glade runs through a dark void alongside Prim. Prim pulls ahead and intercepts Zeldon's attack.**

 **Prim looks up at the violet skies, wraps a red cloth over her head, her eyes turn silver and she prepares for the final push.**

 **RWBYond Home: The One World- Coming Soon.**


End file.
